# Taranaki — engineering worker weighing the energy transition

NZ Election 2026 · Edition 7 · Voter situations · R05

I work for an engineering firm in New Plymouth that serves the energy sector. I have a mortgage and worry about whether there will be steady local work over the next few years.

[Back to the study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7#situations)

| Measure | Value |
| --- | --- |
| questions written for them | 3 |
| answers collected | 24 |
| AI assistants | 4 |
| asked from, and nationally | New Plymouth |

## What this voter asked

### Question 158: Jobs and unemployment

I work for an engineering firm in New Plymouth that serves the energy sector. I have a mortgage and worry about whether there will be steady local work over the next few years. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. What practical plans do parties have to sustain engineering and energy-sector jobs in Taranaki, and how much of each plan is funded rather than an aspiration?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7/questions/b0c070e8-88fd-4168-91f7-ee5c4904b6dc.md)

### Question 159: Fuel and energy

I work for an engineering firm in New Plymouth that serves the energy sector. I have a mortgage and worry about whether there will be steady local work over the next few years. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. How do parties differ on gas, renewable energy and industrial investment in Taranaki, and what evidence is there about the implications for local workers?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7/questions/ac928349-e28b-413f-b7ea-25c0221163ef.md)

### Question 160: Education and childcare

I work for an engineering firm in New Plymouth that serves the energy sector. I have a mortgage and worry about whether there will be steady local work over the next few years. I am considering my vote in the 2026 New Zealand general election. If work in Taranaki's energy sector changes, what would parties offer experienced workers who need to retrain or use their skills in a different industry?

[Read the captured answers](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7/questions/8b2421bf-af0a-48c6-ab5d-fa44a29e9aca.md)

## Which parties appeared in the answers

The figures count names in the 24 answers recorded for this situation. Naming a party does not mean recommending it.

| Party | Answers | Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| National | 24 | 24 |
| Labour | 24 | 24 |
| Greens | 24 | 24 |
| ACT | 22 | 24 |
| NZ First | 22 | 24 |
| Te Pāti Māori | 14 | 24 |
| TOP | 7 | 24 |

## Party names across this voter’s topics

Compare the parties named in answers about this voter’s main concerns. The table compares 23 answers from each edition.

The coloured bars show whether statements about a party were positive, neutral, negative or mixed. Select a figure to read the extracts.

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Jobs and unemployment | National | 8 | 8 | 25 | 48 | 5 | 7 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Labour | 8 | 8 | 17 | 55 | 11 | 6 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Greens | 8 | 8 | 12 | 57 | 10 | 6 |
| Jobs and unemployment | ACT | 8 | 8 | 14 | 43 | 9 | 4 |
| Jobs and unemployment | NZ First | 8 | 8 | 16 | 50 | 7 | 6 |
| Jobs and unemployment | Te Pāti Māori | 5 | 8 | 7 | 34 | 5 | 2 |
| Jobs and unemployment | TOP | 1 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fuel and energy | National | 7 | 7 | 7 | 34 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | Labour | 7 | 7 | 0 | 40 | 3 | 1 |
| Fuel and energy | Greens | 7 | 7 | 2 | 41 | 2 | 2 |
| Fuel and energy | ACT | 7 | 7 | 6 | 29 | 2 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | NZ First | 7 | 7 | 3 | 31 | 1 | 1 |
| Fuel and energy | Te Pāti Māori | 4 | 7 | 1 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel and energy | TOP | 4 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 0 |

| Topic | Party | Answers naming the party | Collected answers | Positive claims | Neutral claims | Negative claims | Mixed claims |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Education and childcare | National | 8 | 8 | 22 | 31 | 1 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | Labour | 8 | 8 | 26 | 33 | 3 | 3 |
| Education and childcare | Greens | 8 | 8 | 18 | 24 | 6 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | ACT | 7 | 8 | 14 | 23 | 2 | 2 |
| Education and childcare | NZ First | 6 | 8 | 12 | 24 | 5 | 1 |
| Education and childcare | Te Pāti Māori | 5 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 4 | 4 |
| Education and childcare | TOP | 2 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 |

## How Gemini’s answer changed

The Taranaki answer again distinguished permission to develop energy projects from a guaranteed workload. It grouped parties more broadly and attributed Electrify NZ 2.0 to Labour, where the earlier answer had named National.

Our check confirmed that National announced the plan. The answer had named the wrong party.

Gemini: “National Party (*Electrify NZ 2.0* & Traditional Energy Continuity)”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/6/questions/b0c070e8-88fd-4168-91f7-ee5c4904b6dc.md) · Answer ID: a1221809-5b60-4278-bf24-60de7e4e44b6

Gemini: “Labour’s *Electrify NZ 2.0* and the Greens' *Power for All Of Us* frameworks focus heavily on expanding national electricity capacity, regional energy projects, and upgrading manufacturing and infrastructure.”

[Read the answer](https://nzbrands.ai/research/nz-election-2026/editions/7/questions/b0c070e8-88fd-4168-91f7-ee5c4904b6dc.md) · Answer ID: ae7045f2-d867-486e-a59c-37f2eac0e273

## Websites cited in these answers

Compare the websites cited in answers for this voter situation. Choose a topic to see its sources.

### ChatGPT

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| beehive.govt.nz | 5 |
| sustainabilitypartners.co.nz | 5 |
| energyresources.org.nz | 4 |
| mbie.govt.nz | 4 |
| minterellison.co.nz | 4 |
| national.org.nz | 4 |
| greens.org.nz | 3 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| act.org.nz | 2 |
| business.powercompare.co.nz | 2 |

### Gemini

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| minterellison.co.nz | 4 |
| electrification.co.nz | 3 |
| bdo.nz | 2 |
| powercompare.co.nz | 2 |
| etu.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| pages.rewiring.nz | 1 |
| phcc.org.nz | 1 |

### Google AI Mode

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| sustainabilitypartners.co.nz | 3 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 2 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 2 |
| 350.org.nz | 1 |
| eea.co.nz | 1 |
| elections.nz | 1 |
| electrification.co.nz | 1 |
| greens.org.nz | 1 |
| labour.org.nz | 1 |
| mbie.govt.nz | 1 |

### AI Overviews

| Website | Answers with this website recorded |
| --- | --- |
| facebook.com | 4 |
| sustainabilitypartners.co.nz | 4 |
| greens.org.nz | 3 |
| labour.org.nz | 3 |
| newsroom.co.nz | 3 |
| thespinoff.co.nz | 3 |
| beehive.govt.nz | 2 |
| electrification.co.nz | 2 |
| nz.seek.com | 2 |
| nzherald.co.nz | 2 |

Each website counts once per answer. The comparison covers 23 answers from each edition; 23 of this edition’s answers included citations. Other includes websites we have not yet classified.

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